NHRC fingers INEC, Iwu in electoral scams

The National Human Rights Commission on Thursday named a former Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, a former Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. Maurice Iwu, among other individuals, government institutions, security agencies and their personnel, as contributors to the widespread electoral fraud in the 2007 and 2011 general elections.

The NHRC stated this in a report it released at its headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

It stated that the individuals and institutions are part of those indicted by the election petition tribunals and appellate judicial bodies which sat on cases that arose from the 2007 and 2011 election cycles.

Also contained in the list of indicted persons and institutions are a former Governor of Edo State, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, a former Acting Governor of Kogi State, Clarence Obafemi, the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in the 2015 election in Benue State, Mr. Terhemen Tarzoor.

A former Kebi South Sentor, Maj.-Gen. Tanko Ayuba (retd), and Ekiti North Senator, Ayo Arise, both of whom were elected to the Nigerian Senate in 2007, as well as former Ondo South Senator, Hosea Ehinlanwo, who was first elected to the Senate and re-elected in 2007, were also on the list.

Also on the list were the INEC and many of its officers, the PDP, the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, and the All Nigerian Peoples Party.

The NHRC recommended some of the individuals to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, for criminal prosecution.

Some others, including government institutions, political parties, lawyers were recommended to relevant government agencies for administrative and professional sanctions.

The report was titled Phase 1 of the Final Report of ‘An Independent Review of Evidence of Gross Violations of the Rights to Participate in Government, to Public Service, and to Fair Trial Through the Election Petition Process in Nigeria 2007.